Eugene von Guérard

Eugene von Guérard
born Austria 1811; arrived Australia 1852; died United Kingdom 1901

View of Geelong 1856
oil on canvas
Geelong Gallery
Purchased through the Geelong Art Gallery Foundation with the generous support of the Victorian Government, the Australian Government, the City of Greater Geelong and numerous community and other donors, 2006

View of Geelong depicts a significant time in Australian history, following the early years of the Victorian gold rush, when European settlement had begun to make its mark on the ancient and dramatic landscape.

Looking northeasterly, from a vantage point near the village of Ceres, this composition is typical of von Guérard’s grand ‘new world’ vistas. Careful attention is paid to the observation of almost every microscopic detail, from the township of Geelong, across to the You Yangs and the even more distant Dandenong Ranges. Von Guérard documents the beginnings of our city, celebrated as the gateway to the Western District.